An introduction to Amateur Radio

Amateur radio (often called ham radio) is a hobby in which people communicate with and experiment with radio. It’s kept me amused for 30+ years.

Radio amateurs are allowed to experiment with radio, and they are required to pass examinations to prove a level of competence before being granted a license.
The ability to experiment also provides an important justification for reserving valuable frequency bands for use by radio amateurs. In the UK, radio amateurs are granted a license for the purpose of
training themselves in wireless communication. Radio amateurs are permitted to build and modify the equipment and antennas that they use on the air.

There are many facets of the hobby and my particular interests lie in aerials and in making distant contacts (known as DX) on the VHF amateur bands. I also
enjoy contesting, where we have to make as many contacts as possible in a given period.There is no such thing as “normal
conditions” on the VHF amateur bands, and I have a particular interest in different forms of propagation, including Aurora, meteor
scatter, sporadic E and Moonbounce.

An introduction to VHF Propagation

This could be the briefest introduction you'll ever see to VHF propagation !